Device for feeding hairs and like short-length materials from a loose mass thereof



Jan. 17, 1939. c WEST 2,144,003

DEVICE FOR FEEDING HAIRS AND LIKE SHORT LENGTH MATERIALS FROM A LOOSE MASS THEREOF Filed Sept. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 17, 1939. 0 WEST DEVICE FOR FEEDING HAIRS AND LIKE SHORT LENGTH MATERIALS FROM A LOOSE MASS THEREOF Filed Sept. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles West, London, England Application September 10, 1937, Serial No. 163,329

In Great Britain 7 Claims.

tion, are applied to a loose mass of hairs, a limited number of such hairs enter the jaws which can then be closed to grip said hairs and constitute means whereby the hairs can be conveyed to the fur.

The gripping jaws may consist of any suitable arrangement of two or more relatively movable members mounted upon a main supporting body, which latter can be of such a nature as to be held by the hand of the user or may consist of framework of a semi-automatic or fully automatic power operated machine.

The apparatus preferably includes a nozzle adapted to be put into communication with an air blower or other pressure air sup-ply means for the purpose of opening up the fur to enable the hair or hairs being attached thereto conveniently to be located in position.

Apparatus according to the invention can also incorporate a container adapted to carry a loose mass of hairs and means for moving the gripping jaws to and from said container in timed relation with the opening and closing movements of the jaws.

In addition, the apparatus can include a container for a liquid adhesive and means whereby one end of each hair extracted from the container for loose hairs by means of the gripping jaws is adapted to receive an application of such adhesive, which latter is of course employed to secure the hairs to the fur.

In order that the invention can be fully appreciated its various primary features and two practical applications thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:--

Fig. 1 shows a side elevational view of an apparatus according to the invention in the form of a hand applied tool.

Fig. 2 is an under side plan view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing in particular the gripping aws.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 each shows a front elevation of September 10, 1936 a pair of gripping jaws and illustrates the means and method employed for limiting the number of hairs that can be accommodated in the jaws at any one time.

Fig. 6 shows a front end elevation of a pair of gripping jaws and means whereby the parts thereof can be adjustably set to meet varying requirements.

Fig. 7 is a front end elevation of a pair of gripping jaws and shows a modified arrangement for imparting relative movement to said jaws, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of an automatic apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. 15

The arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a main supporting body 9 of pistol grip form to which is secured an arm [0 provided near its outer end with a depending part II adapted to constitute one of a pair of gripping jaws. The other jaw of this pair is constituted by a similar part l2 provided on a spring blade 13 attached to the arm Ill, the natural resiliency of this blade tending to move the jaws open.

Both the arm [0 and. the blade 13 are embraced by a common strap [4 provided on a sliding bar 15 and adapted to be moved forwardly along the arm l0 and blade 13 by means of a trigger lever IE, to which said lever is connected, for the purpose of forcing the blade into closer relationship with the arm and thereby efiecting a closing movement of the jaws II and i2. Upon releasing the trigger lever l6 it and the bar 15 and strap 14 are returned by means of a tension spring l1, thus allowing the resiliency of the blade l3 to effect an opening movement of the gripping jaws.

A fork shaped gauge plate I8 is attached to the arm 10 and straddles the gripping jaws II and I2 in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

This gauge plate I8 is provided for the purpose of limiting the depth of the opening in the mouth of the jaws to a determined value. Thus for example, as shown in Fig. 3, if the open jaws are inserted into a loose mass of hairs (shown in end elevation at H] on the drawings) the depth of the jaws is sufficient to permit of one hair only being accommodated between the lower ends of the jaw parts and the gauge plate. Furthermore the space between the open jaws is also such as to permit the entry of one hair only. It will be understood therefore that if the closing movement is now imparted to the jaws the single hair located within the jaws will be gripped transversely.

Such an apparatus therefore enables a person to pick up one hair only at a time from a loose mass of hairs with a minimum of trouble and subsequently convey such hair or hairs to receive an application of adhesive and be attached to a fur. The outer extremity of the arm ill projects as shown in Figs. 1 and. 2 beyond the gripping jaws and serves as a distancing stop adapted to come into contact with the base of the fur under treatment to prevent accidental damage or buckling of the hair or hairs carried by the jaws.

To facilitate the convenient placing of the hairs in the fur a jet of air is adapted to impinge on the fur in the desired position in order to open up the fur in the manner Well known in the art of fur pointing.

Means for directing such a jet of hair is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and consists of a nozzle 2!] attached to the body 9 and arranged in communication with a conduit 2i provided in said body and adapted to be connected to any desired suitable pressure air supply means, for example a pump or bellows by a flexible pipe line (not shown).

Figs. 4 and 5 show two methods of limiting the jaw space to accommodate not more than two hairs at a time.

Firstly (Fig. 4) the gauge plate [8 is set to provide sufficient depth to the jaws to accommodate two superposed hairs, whilst the width of the jaw opening is such as to permit only one hair at a time to pass into the jaws.

Secondly (Fig. 5) the gauge plate l8 restricts the depth of the jaws to that suificient to accommodate one thickness of hair only and the width of the jaws is sufficient to permit the entry of not more than two hairs side by side.

It will of course be appreciated that other arrangements may permit of more than two hairs being accommodated at a time in the jaws.

In order to adapt the apparatus for use with hairs of difierent thicknesses and to enable it to be used to pick up one, two or more hairs at a time as required, suitable adjusting and setting means can be provided in association with the gripping jaws. Thus for example, as shown in Fig. 6 the extent of the opening movement of the resilient blade 13 is adapted to be limited by an adjustable stop 23 whilst the gauge plate I8 is vertically movable upon the arm it and can be locked in position by a screw 24 after being set to such position by means of an adjustable screw stop 25.

There is shown in Fig. 7 an alternative form of means for imparting the desired opening and closing movements to the gripping jaws. In this case the blade I3 carries a projecting abutment 26 which is adapted to be engaged by a co-operating part 2! of a lever arm 23 pivoted to an uprising part of the arm Id and adapted to be operated by the trigger lever aforesaid or other means.

This latter arrangement is incorporated in the example of automatic apparatus according to the invention now to be described with reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings and is shown mounted upon the forward end of an arm 29. With this apparatus the gripping jaws indicated in general at 36 are adapted to descend, when open, into a loose mass of hairs carried in a container 3| which is removably attached to a table 32 vfixed to the free end of a resilient strip 33 that is secured at its other end to the main supporting body or framework 34 of the apparatus.

Such movement of the gripping jaws is obtained through the intermediary of the frame 29, parallel levers 35 pivoted to the frame 34, crank 36 integral with one of said levers and link 3'! connecting said crank 36 to a crank 38 on a shaft 39 that carries a wheel 40 adapted to be appropriately rotated by means of an electric motor ll through a driving belt 42. The path of movement taken by the gripping jaws travelling to the container 3| and subsequently ascending from the container is shown in dotted lines at'43.

The latter part of the descending movement of the open gripping jaws takes place when said jaws are actually engaging with the mass of loose hairs in the container 3 l, the latter if necessary moving down with the jaws by reason of the resilience of the supporting strip 33.

Furthermore, during this latter part of the descending movement of the jaws one arm of a lever 44 pivoted to the arm 29 comes into abutment with an upstanding stop 45 and causes the other arm of said lever to effect a closing movement of the gripping jaws so as to grip a hair or hairs located within the jaws.

Also during the descending movement of the gripping jaws, a pin 56 carried by one of the parallel levers 35 comes in the path of a cam portion 47 provided on a lever arm 48 which is pivoted to the frame 34 and includes at its outer end a dipping bar 49, the movement resulting from this co-operation of the pin and cam serving to raise the dipping bar 49 from within an open topped container 50 adapted to contain a liquid adhesive. The dipping bar when so raised occupies a position indicated in dotted lines at 5| and carries a desired amount of the adhesive.

Now, when the gripping jaws carrying one or more hairs ascend from the container 3| by reason of the return movement of the parallel lever system under the driving influence of the crank 38, the forward end of each hair held by the jaws brushes by the clipping bar 49 and receives an application of liquid adhesive. The gripping jaws then continue to convey the hair or hairs until they contact with the base of a fur which is indicated at 52 and movably mounted upon a support 53.

The latter stage of this conveying movement brings an upturned part 54 of the lever 44 into abutment with a trip bar 55 which is adjustably carried by the frame 34 of the apparatus and is adapted to bring about a movement of said lever 44 which is appropriate for allowing the gripping jaws to open and thus release the hair or hairs now maintained in position on the fur by the adhesive.

During the action of conveying the hair or hairs from the containers 3i to the fur, the dipping bar 43 re-enters the tank of adhesive, whilst in addition an air pump 55 pivoted to the frame at 57 and connected to a crank 58 on the shaft 39 is executing its power stroke and serves to deliver air under pressure through a flexible conduit 5% to a nozzle 50 adapted to project a jet of air on to the fur at the position at which the gripping jaws are adapted to deliver the hair or hairs to said fur. This jet of air opens up the fur and enables the hair or hairs to be conveniently applied to the base without fouling.

When the gripping jaws are moving towards the container 3! the pump 5% is executing its suction stroke.

. Although it is not essential to the satisfactory use of devices acording to the invention that the loose mass of hairs or the like should be precisely arranged in parallel relationship, it is preferable that this loose mass should have some degree of regularity and for this reason combing or other means may be incorporated for enabling the hairs or the like to be suitably arranged prior to or if desired during the use of the apparatus.

It is also desirable to shake the container for the mass of loose hairs during the operation of the apparatus and for this purpose a cam wheel 5&- is provided and adapted to be rotated from the shaft 39 for the purpose of vibrating the resilient strip 33 by making intermittent contact with a depending abutment member 82 of the latter.

In some cases means can be provided for automatically moving the fur being treated into a number of desired positions suitable for the application of points, for instance, the fur may be carried upon a rotatable and/ or reciprocable support adapted to receive the desired motion from the mainv motive source of the apparatus.

It is of course possible to include in the apparatus clutch means of any desired suitable form for connecting and disconnecting the motive source as required, such clutch means being preferably foot operated.

Although not herein described it is to be understood that arrangement for adjusting and corelating all the various mechanical movements of the apparatus described with reference to Fig. 8 is contemplated.

According to a modified embodiment of the invention the parallel lever system together with the container for loose hairs and the adhesive applying means herein described with reference to Fig. 8 is assembled upon a body portion adapted to be held and supported by the hand or hands of the user, the necessary driving power being obtained by trigger means or through a flexible shaft from a motive power source, in which latter case a power operated pump can be arranged to supply the desired jet of air for opening up the fur under treatment, such jet being for example controlled by hand operated trigger means.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms or details of construction described, as these may be Varied to suit particular cases without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America:-

1. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs, comprising a pair of gripping jaws, means for imparting opening and closing movements to said jaws and means for limiting to a predetermined number the quantity of hairs that can be accommodated between said jaws at any one time, so that when the jaws, in open condition, are applied to a loose mass of hairs, a limited number of such hairs enter the jaws which can then be closed to grip said hairs and constitute means whereby the hairs can be conveyed to the fur.

2. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs as claimed in claim 1 including a gauge plate adjustably associated with the gripping jaws for determining the effective depth of the opening in the mouth of the jaws for the purpose of limiting the number of hairs that can be accommodated within the said depth.

3. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs as claimed in claim 1 includin adjustable stop means for limiting the opening movement of the gripping jaws to determine the distance between said jaws when they are in the Open position for the purpose of limiting the number of hairs that can be accommodated within said distance.

4. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pair of gripping jaws is carried upon a main body portion which has a form suitable to. be gripped and supported by the hand of an operator.

5. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs as claimed in claim 1 comprising a main body portion which has a form suitable to be gripped and supported by the hand of an operator, a pair of gripping jaws carried by said main body portion, and means, including a trigger lever, for imparting opening and closing movement to the said jaws.

6. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pair of gripping jaws is carried upon a main body portion which has a form suitable to be gripped and supported by the hand of an operator and incorporating a nozzle adapted to direct a jet of air upon the fur under treatment for the purpose of opening-up the fur.

7. Apparatus for use in the process of attaching hairs to furs as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pair of gripping jaws is carried upon a parallel lever system and including means for imparting motion to said parallel lever system for the purpose of moving the gripping jaws to and from a container for loose hairs and means for automatically imparting opening and closing movements to the gripping jaws in timed relationship with the toand from movements of the parallel lever system.

CHARLES WEST. 

